After serving for seven years on the City Council, Pollard was elected mayor in January 1996. He then served consecutive terms as mayor until 2010. Cumulatively, he held public office in the city for around 20 years,[3] shaping much of its development in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. His most notable exploits have been a major revival of Vancouver's once-dilapidated downtown core,[3] shepherding the city's growth by 100,000 residents,[3] and championing a controversial project to replace the Interstate Bridge and expand the MAX Light Rail system into Clark County.[4] In addition to mass transit, Pollard has long supported green modes of transportation such as walking and biking.[5]

Pollard was a promoter of the moniker of "America's Vancouver" for the city,[6] in order to differentiate it from the larger but younger city of Vancouver, British Columbia. The mayor was also a staunch defender of Vancouver's independence from nearby Portland, Oregon. In a highly publicized gesture in 2005, he purchased and destroyed coffee mugs with Portland logos at Vancouver Starbucks after the company failed to remove them from stores.[7]